Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-05-28
JESS.
by H.RlDER liAo6ARD,
Eatb'r0I 'Nns SolonaoEsaupes StSEte.
tCONTINUED.)
CHI A P TER XII.

John found that the life of South Afri-
can farmer came well up to his expectations.
He had ample occupation indeed, what be-
tween ostriches, horses, cattle, sheep and
crops, he was rather over than under occu-
pied Nor was he greatly troubled by the
lack of civilized society, for he was a man
who read a great deal and books could be or
dered from Durham and Cape Town, while
the weekly mail brought up an ample supply
of papers. On Sundays he always read the
political articles in The Saturday Review
aloud to old Silas Croft, who, as he got older,
found that the print tried his eyes, and this
was an attention that the old gentleman
greatly appreciated. He was a well informed
man, and had notwithstanding his long life
spent in a half civilized country, never lost
his hold of affairs or his interest in the wide
and rushing life of the world in one of whose
side eddies he lived apart. This task of reading
The Saturday Review aloud had formerly
been a part of Bessie's Sunday service, but
her uncle was very glad to effect an ex-
change. Bessie's mind was not quite in tune
with the profundities of that journal and her
attention was apt to wander at the most
pointed passages. And thus it came about,
what between The Saturday Review and
other things, that a very warm and deep at
tachment sprang up betwixt the old man and
his younger partner John was a very tax
ing man, especially to the old, for whom he
was never tired of performing little services.
One of bis favorite sayings was that old peo-
pie should be s'let down easy" and he acted
up to it. Moreover, there was quiet jollity
and bluff honesty about him which was UNI
doubtedly attractive both to men ard women.
But his great recommendation was that he
was well informed, experienced man and a
gentleman in country i'll which both Were
rare Every week the old man got to rely
more and more on him, and let things pass
more and more into his hands.
"rm getting old, Mel" he said to him one
night; I'm getting very old; the grass
hopper is becoming burden to me, and I'll
tell you what it is, my boy, laying his hand
affectionately upon Johns shoulder, IL have
no son of my own, and you will have to be a
son to me, as my dear Bessie has been a
daughter"
John looked up into the kindly, handsome
old face, crowned with the fringe of snowy
hair, and at the two keen eyes set deep in it
beneath the overhanging eyebrows, and
thought of his old father who was long since
dead; and somehow he was moved and his
own eyes filed with tears.
"Ay, Mr. Croft" he said, taking the old
mans hand, that | will to the best of my
ability"
THANK you, my boy. thank you. I don't
like talking much about these things, but as |
said, am getting old, and the Almighty may
require my account any day, and if he does
rely on you to look after these two girls. II
is wild country this, and one never knows
what may happen in it from day to day. and
they viii want it, Sometimes | wish | were
clear of the place And now I'm going t.
bed l am beginning to feel as though had
done my days work in the world I'm get
ting feeble, John, that is the fact of it"
After that he always called him John.
Of jess they heard hut little. She wrote
every week, it is true and gave an accurate
account of all that was going on at Pretoris
and of her daily doings, but she was one OF
those people whose letters tell one absolutely
nothing of themselves and of what is passing
in their minds. They might as well hav,
been headed Our Pretoria LETTER" as Bessie
said, disglstedly, after reading three sheet
| in Jess curious, upright handwriting. "0nc'
| you lose sight of jess" she went on, "sht
might as well be dead for all you learn abou
| her Not that one learns very much whei
| she is with one, she added, reflectively.
"She is peculiar woman" said John
thoughtfully- At first he had missed hel
very much, for, peculiar as she undoubtedly
was, she had touched a new string in hin
somewhere, of the existence of which he hal
- l.i..
is more, it had answered pretty strongly TO
| some time; but now it was slowly vihratin;
itself into silence again, much as a harp doe
| when the striker takes his fingers from tn
strings. Had she stayed on another week o
so the effect might have been more enduring
| But although jess had gone away BesSi
had not On the contrary, she was Away
| about him, surrounding him with that tende
| care Il woman, however involuntarily, can
| not prevent her from lavishing on the maj
| she loves Her beauty moved about tn
| place like a beam of light about garden, TO
she was indeed a lovely woman and as pur
| and good as she was lovely. Nor could JOIN
long remain in ignorance of her partiality TO
! him. He was not a vain man-very mucl
the reverse, indeed-but neither was he
I =
Bessie never overstepped the bounds of maid
emily reserve, neither did she take particula
| pains to hide her preference Indeed it wa
too strong to permit of her doing So No
that she was animated by the half divine
soul soaring breath Of passion, such as ami
mated her sister-which is a very rare thing
and, take it altogether, as undesirable an,
unsuitable to the ordinary conditions of thi
| prosaic and work day life as it is rare-bu
she was tenderiy and truly in love after til
ordinary young womanly fashion; indeed
her passion, measured by the every day stand
ard, would have proved to he a deep one
| However this was, she was undoubtedly pre-
pared to make John Mel faithful and
loving wife if he chose to ask her to be
come so.
And as the weeks went on-though, o
course, he knew nothing Of all tlis-it he
came a very serious question to John whethe
he should not ask her. 1t is not good for ma
to live alone especially in the Transvaal, an
it was not possible for him to pass day by da
at the side of so much beauty and SO muc
| grace without thinking that it would be wei
| to draw the bond Of union closer Indeed
had John been younger man or had less e1
| perience he would have succumbed to til
temptation much sooner than he dill But h
was neither very Young nor very inexperl
enced. Ten years or more ago, in hts greer
and gushing youth, he had, as has been said
burned bis fingers pretty sharply, and a livel,
recollection OF this incident in bis career hat
heretofore proved very efficient warning L
| him. Also, be had got to that period Of Iif
when men think great many times befor
| they wildLs commit themselves to the dee
matrimonial waters. But, however com
mendably cautious man may he, he is Away
liable to be thrown into temptation sufficient,
strong to sweep away his caution and make
mockery of his plans. However strong th
rope, it has its breaking strain: and i'll tn
| same waV or POWER of resIStanre to IN,